As a copywriter, I love working with non-profit organizations. I love that I’m able to help them tell their stories of inspiration and hope.
One thing I’ve noticed about non-profits, though, is how often their online presence fails to convey the basics of what they do, who they do it for, and why a visitor should click, donate, or find out more.
Why does this happen? Perhaps it’s because they lack the resources to hire a professional copywriter (that’s where I come in). But having worked in the non-profit world years ago, I think it runs deeper than that. Non-profits tend to underestimate the importance of their work and the impact they have on their community.
The concept of the non-profit inferiority complex is not new. In short, it is the result of our consumer-driven, corporate-loving society that sees non-profits as second-class organizations and thinks they should be run more like businesses.
I don’t see non-profits that way at all and I hope you don’t either.
I believe non-profits are the glue that holds our society together. They see a need and work tireless to meet that need.
What’s more, the values of non-profits are different than those held by most corporations. It would seem contrary to operate a non-profit organization under the same principles that businesses function.
No, non-profits don’t need to run themselves like a business – but they do need to market themselves like one. And that involves a level of self-promotion that many non-profits are not used to.
No, non-profits don’t need to run themselves like a business – but they do need to market themselves like one.
Let’s take a look at some Google search results to illustrate this better:
Here are some typical examples of non-profit agency descriptions (no, we’re not entering an adult movie zone – the specifics have been X’ed out to protect the identities of the organizations – our goal is not to call anyone out, but to learn how to write better descriptions):
- XX is a private, nonprofit human services agency and has been providing human services since 19XX.
- XX is a community resource serving the XX neighborhood through a variety of programs and services.
- Established in 19XX, the XX Foundation encourages local philanthropy by supporting the growth of permanent charitable donations.
I think we can all agree that these are not particularly inspiring. Compare those with the following two examples.
Here’s one from a for-profit healthcare system that has fully leaned to its size, reputation, and mission.
Here’s another from the non-profit world that creates vision and inspires action.
Now let’s look at how a well written description impacts the search experience. Here are some search results for hair salons in a city near me.
What do you think about this?
- XX is located on XX Street in City, State. We provide nail and hair services.
Not a clickable description, right? This one is better.
- A beauty salon that specializes in all hair textures, our bilingual staff are experts in perms, keratin treatments, highlights, haircuts, relaxers, and nails.
Listing specialty services and the availability of bilingual staff is great and speaks to their target audience. How about these two?
- A full-service salon studio. Beautiful & sustainable. Creativity with integrity. Eco without the ego.
- We are an expert in all areas of beauty, haircutting, styling, coloring, and makeup. We are focused on making sure each client feels amazing when they leave the salon.
Again, each speaks to a target audience like the previous example, but these articulate a promise and benefits.
What these examples demonstrate is how important it is to tailor your messaging to your audience. A well written description not only informs and engages, it also shows you respect their time and attention.
Here are your next steps:
Google your organization.
With an objective eye, evaluate the title and description. Consider how your organization is represented. It is clear what you do, who you serve, and what makes you awesome?
If not, spend some time crafting these messages. Consult your colleagues. Edit, consult, and repeat until your description is clear and compelling.
If you’re stuck or need help, give me a shout. I help non-profits with their marketing by jazzing up their web presence with better titles, descriptions, and website content. I also offer special rates for non-profits.
Good luck!
(Note: The line under the web address is called your meta title and should be 50-60 characters. The meta description is the text below that and should be less than 160 characters. Both are set behind the scenes on your website – consult your web designer.)
